“Very Nice”, Rafael Alonso ’s piece, captures the mood of a warm summer evening, evoking the sunset on the horizon and much more

Rafael Alonso, 35 years old, is an up-and-coming Brazilian artist from Rio de Janeiro, who was recently commissioned by the Science Museum to create artwork for their upcoming exhibition The Sun: Living With Our Star. Therefore, “Very Nice” was born.

From golden solar religious artifacts from the Nordic Bronze Age (dating back to 1400 BC), to details of upcoming NASA and ESA solar missions, The Sun: Living With Our Star tells the story of humankind’s dependence on, and ever changing understanding of, our star. Visitors will be able to see the sunlight on an indoor beach, virtually try on a range of historic sunglasses in a digital mirror and see the Sun rise in different seasons and locations around the world on a huge illuminated wall display.

Alonso studied at Escola de Belas Artes in Rio de Janeiro and is currently working towards a PhD in Visual Languages. He has previously exhibited work in Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói, Paço Imperial, Paços das Artes and Centro Cultural São Paulo, all in Brazil. He has also participated in group shows in Portugal, Germany, France, and the USA among others.

“Very Nice” captures the mood of a warm summer evening, evoking the sunset on the horizon, at the same time that evokes much of the artist inner memories. According to himself, “Very Nice” reminds him of his childhood and adolescence, a time when he used to walk and play all the time by the beach.

Where: Exhibition Road, Kensington, London SW7 2DD

When: 6 October 2018 – 6 May 2019